Advocates Tout Proposed Legislation That Would Strengthen Mental Health Services For Children
Right now, only about a third of California children who report needing help for emotional or mental health problems receive counseling. The bills would seek to improve services to those in need.
The California Health Report:
Bills Seek To Bolster Children's Mental Health
As California struggles to meet children’s mental health needs, lawmakers are pressing for two bills that would take steps to address the problem. The bills seek to strengthen mental health services for children and youth, either through targeted funding or by instituting new training requirements for people who regularly work with young people. The state Senate recently approved the bills, SB 906 and 1019, and they are now awaiting a vote in the Assembly. Although the future of the bills is uncertain, their consideration by the state legislature offers an encouraging sign that lawmakers are starting to take children’s health more seriously, said Lishaun Francis, senior associate for health collaborations with the advocacy group Children Now. (Boyd-Barrett, 6/5)